James’s Comments (group member since Jan 03, 2021)

James’s comments from the The Joy Trip Reading Project group.

The Joy Trip Reading Project invites you to join our next online discussion with Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of national not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro and author of "Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy In the Outdoors." Log on foour live Zoom conversation on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 6PM Eastern Time. We’ll talk about the many amazing Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders, prominent Black outdoor influencers, and other related organizations profiled in this breathtaking journal that beautifully illustrates the happiness that can be discovered in communion with nature.

“Nature Swagger" presents thirty life-changing stories of self, discovery, courage, and healing in the natural world. Told through first-person narratives, essays, and poems, this uplifting collection celebrates the many ways that outdoor spaces offer Black people opportunities for personal empowerment, connection, and rejuvenation.”

With a forward written by National Park Ranger Shelton Johnson, this wonderful book includes the life experiences of many friends of the Joy Trip Project as well as authors who have been featured in past discussions such as Dr. Carolyn Finney and McArthur Fellow Dr. J. Drew Lanham. Our conversation with Rue Mapp promises to be informative and inspiring! All registered attendees will be entered in a drawing to receive a free copy of “Nature Swagger”.

Click the link to register:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/reg...

On November 30, 2022 at 5PM Central Time, we are happy to invite you to join the Joy Trip Reading Project for our next online book discussion with Lola Akinmade Åkerström author of Due North: A collection of travel observations, reflections, and snapshots across colors, cultures, and continents

Lola Akinmade Åkerström is an award-winning visual storyteller, international bestselling author, and travel entrepreneur. She has dispatched from over 70 countries and her work has been featured in National Geographic, New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, CNN, Travel Channel, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Forbes, and many more. She has collaborated with commercial brands such as Dove, Mercedes Benz, Intrepid Travel, Electrolux, and National Geographic Channel, to name a few.
Her book, Due North, received the Lowell Thomas Gold Award for Best Travel Book, and she is also the author of international bestselling “LAGOM: The Swedish Secret of Living Well” available in 18 foreign language editions.  Her latest internationally-acclaimed novel, “In Every Mirror She’s Black“, is a Good Morning America (GMA) Buzz Pick, Amazon Editor’s Pick, an Independent UK “Best Thought-provoking Story”, was shortlisted for the Bad Form Review Book of the Year, and published as a lead hardcover around the world through 4 publishers (including German, 2023). Film/TV rights are represented by UTA.
In 2018, she was recognized as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in media and as a mentor, she runs her own online academy, Geotraveler Media Academy, which is dedicated to visual storytelling and helping the next generation of travel storytellers put the heart back into the craft.

Log-on to Zoom to join what will be an inspiring conversation hosted by James Edward Mills, author and creator of The Joy Trip Project. Advanced registration is required. Just click the link =>
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/reg...
See you soon!

Author discussions on the Joy Trip Reading Project are made possible thanks to the support of the University of Wisconsin Madison Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies and the Schlecht Family Foundation If you have questions or need any additional information write to info@joytripproject.com

On October 27, 2022 at 5PM Central Time, we’re excited to invite you to join the Joy Trip Reading Project for our next online book discussion with Majora Carter, author of Reclaiming Your Community: You Don't Have to Move Out of Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One
Majora Carter is a real estate developer, urban revitalization strategy consultant, MacArthur Fellow and Peabody Award winning broadcaster. She’s responsible for the creation of numerous economic development, technology inclusion & green-infrastructure projects, policies and job training & placement systems.  She is also a lecturer at Princeton University’s Keller Center.
Majora is quoted on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in DC: “Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one” – which is also the subtitle of her 2022 book, Reclaiming Your Community.
Born and raised in the South Bronx, Majora continues to live in the community where she grew up. She is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science (1984), Wesleyan University (1988 BA, Distinguished Alum) and New York University (MFA).  After establishing  Sustainable South Bronx (2001) and Green For All (2007), among other organizations, she opened this private consulting firm (2008) – which was named Best for the World by B-Corp in 2014.
In addition, Majora Carter launched StartUp Box, a ground-breaking tech social enterprise that provided entry-level tech jobs in the South Bronx, operating it from 2014-2018.  Majora Carter has helped connect tech industry pioneers such as Etsy, Gust, FreshDirect, Google, and Cisco to diverse communities at all levels.

Log-on to Zoom to join what will be an inspiring conversation hosted by James Edward Mills, author and creator of The Joy Trip Project. Advanced registration is required. Just click the link https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/reg...

See you soon!

Author discussions on the Joy Trip Reading Project are made possible thanks to the support of the University of Wisconsin Madison Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies and the Schlecht Family Foundation If you have questions or need any additional information write to
info@joytripproject.com

The Joy Trip Reading Project is excited to announce our Fall 2022 line-up of books and authors. Our learning community continues to grow through the engagement of nationally recognized scholars who address the myriad issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in all expressions of human endeavor. As we slowly wind out of summer and begin thinking about our plans for shorter days in cooler weather, we hope that our list of titles from these thoughtful and inspiring authors will lead to rousing discussions over the next several months. Each of these featured writers will be our guest in an online forum to talk about their areas of expertise and help us to frame a better understanding of a cultural landscape that seems to get more complicated every day.

Our Fall 2022 writers include:

Catherine Coleman Flowers

Author of
Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret

Majora Carter

Author of
Reclaiming Your Community: You Don't Have to Move Out of Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One

Lola Akinmade Åkerström

Author of
Due North: A Collection of Travel Observations, Reflections, And Snapshots Across Colo

Micheal W. Twitty

Author of
Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew

Dates and times for our forthcoming discussions will be posted shortly.

Welcome to this learning community. Happy Reading!

The Joy Trip Reading Project

Greetings everyone,

I hope this message finds you well and having a wonderful day. Happy Monday. Please, allow me to apologize for my long absence. There have been many hiccups in my working life and I deeply regret that I have been neglecting this reading group. For that I am very sorry. As many of you who are professional writers can appreciate, the last few months have been a bit challenging. As restrictions through the COVID-19 pandemic are in constant flux it has been difficult to arrange for the authors on our reading list to meet with us as I had originally hoped. I am working diligently to affirm the scheduled appearances that still remain through the year and provide you with exact dates and times of future discussions as soon as possible.

In the meantime I want to invite you to attend a panel discussion I am hosting with the Nelson Institute for environmental studies to formally introduce the Anti-Racism in the Outdoors Resource Guide. In the hopes of engaging a broad national discussion, this annotated bibliography created by Dr. Don Rakow of Cornell University and Laura Brown of the University of Connecticut, aims to share the latest research and reporting on efforts across the country to make the fields of outdoor recreation and environmental conservation more diverse, equitable and inclusive. Free for the general public to use the ARITO Resource Guide is designed to be expanded to include new and emerging information. Readers are encouraged to share their thoughts, make suggestions on new materials and most importantly, raise compelling questions that have yet to be discussed. It is the hope of those who have assembled this information that it may contribute to the education and understanding of anyone committed to the belief that outdoors is for everyone.
https://nelson.wisc.edu/events/everyo...

The panel discussion at 11:30AM Central Time on Thursday September 30th, is sponsored by the Schlecht Family Foundation. We will engage questions from a live online audience. The panelists include Christopher Kilgour, Founder of Color in The Outdoors, Corina Newsome, Community Engagement Manager, Georgia Audubon Society and Claudia Pineda Tibbs, Advisory Board, Latino Outdoors; Sustainability Manager, Monterey Bay Aquarium. Registration is required to attend and participants are welcome to ask their questions in advance. The organizers hope to encourage a rousing conversation that will continue at their respective campuses and at institutions of higher learning around the country.

Please be in touch if you have questions or require any additional information. I’ll do a better job of keeping you up to date in the coming months. I hope to have another announcement for you shortly regarding a new book project of my own. So please stay tuned.

I look forward to see you next week!

Take care

James

Actually the event is on Thursday. Here’s the Link: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/reg...

On June 30, 2021 at 5PM Central Time, we’re excited to invite you to join the Joy Trip Reading Project for our sixth online book discussion with Derick Lugo, author of the Unlikely Thru-Hiker.
Prior to the experiences portrayed in his debut memoir, this young writer had never hiked, camped or pitched a tent a day in his life. However, this Brooklyn-born, New York City urbanite hopped a train to Georgia, grabbed a taxi to the beginning of the Appalachian Trail, and then he did as he has always done — put one foot in front of the other and never looked back.
After thru-hiking for 2,192 miles and several thousand more on various different trails, he now feels invincible and plans to cross the Sahara barefoot. (Not really, but when an ambitious spirit is successful, it will strive for even greater accomplishments.)
Storytelling is Derick’s forte; he’s the author of The Unlikely Thru-Hiker, a memoir of his 6-month hike of the entire Appalachian Trail, he’s written several articles for outdoor magazines, and short stories for various books. He’s a professional speaker and adventurer.

Log-on to Zoom to join what will likely be an inspiring conversation hosted by James Edward Mills, author and creator of The Joy Trip Project. Advanced registration is required. Just click the link =>https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/reg...
See you soon!

Author discussions on the Joy Trip Reading Project are made possible thanks to the support of the University of Wisconsin Madison Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies, Seirus Innovations and Outdoor Research. If you have questions or need any additional information write to info@joytripproject.com

So glad you like it Elizabeth. Thanks for your interest in sharing it. We're close in on a final version that we hope to post shortly. We should be making and broader announcement soon.

If you missed our 4th community discussion watch the video with Dr. J. Drew Lanham author of "The Home Place" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-8ee...

Andy wrote: "I bought this on your recommendation, James, and can't wait to read it. Thank you!"
So glad you picked up this title Andy. You'll Love it

eArThworm wrote: "Never received an email with a link to today's Zoom meeting about this book! Didn't realize that until too late. Will the video be posted somewhere??"
So sorry you couldn't make it to our talk on Monday. Fortunately it was recorded and will be posted shortly.

The Joy Trip Project is in the finishing stages of creating a new page on its website that you might find useful. Many of the members of this group are interested in exploring the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation and environmental conservation. As you can imagine there are a LOT of articles and information dedicated to this particular subject. And in an effort to curate and share as many of them as possible we are happy to host The Anti-Racism In The Outdoors Resource Guide.

https://joytripproject.com/joy-trip-p...

Compiled by Don Rakow, Cornell University & Laura Brown, University of Connecticut- this resource guide is designed for faculty, staff, students, extension educators, outdoor advocates, volunteers and community leaders as allies of black, indigenous, and people of color in the outdoors. The page is live and available for viewing, but not yet widely promoted. Before we make a broad announcement to the general public, we're looking to get feedback from potential users who might make suggestions on how to better organize the information or provide references to articles or materials that are not yet included.

Give it a look and let us know what you think in the comments.

Shannon, love that line too! Thanks for your comments

Stephanie wrote: "Wonderful. Thanks James. I assumed you were working on it but also knew you were doing some traveling. I appreciate the response. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Thanks for understanding. I sincerely appreciate your kind consideration. I look forward to our discussion!

Happy reading!

James

Greetings Everyone!
I hope this message finds you well and having a wonderful day. The last three weeks seem to have just scorched right on by as we are now in the middle of March! Our book discussion for this month is South of Haunted Dreams: A Memoir by Eddy L. Harris. His story of riding a motorcycle through the southern United States is a wonderful journey of discovery and reflection of life in the modern world. Give a listening to my converation with him on the Joy Trip Project Podcast https://joytripproject.com/2019/10/a-...

I'm curious to know from this group if you think Harris's perspective on racial identity and traveling while Black is consistent with the turbulent times we are currently living through. Is he naive? Or is his manner of walking the Earth without being overly self-conscious the way we should all navigate the world. Share your thoughts and let's have a discussion.

Our live Zoom chat with Eddy Harris is scheduled for March 24th at 2PM Central time. He is based in France so we're trying to negotiate a six-hour time difference. A formal Zoom invitation will be generated shortly.

Take care

James

Stephanie wrote: "Is there a scheduled event yet to discuss South of Haunted Dreams? I am signed up for notifications but I have not seen and cannot find anything for March.
Thanks 😁"

Stepanie, so sorry for the lag in getting back to you. We are working on our next book discussion next week on March 24th at 2PM Central Time. Our author Eddy Harris is based in France and I'm trying to coordinate his schedule. I hope to have the event finalized as soon as possible.

James

As we celebrate Black history month the book Gloryland offers readers a wonderful opportunity to learn about the life and times of a past generation through the composite experience of a single central character. Shelton Johnson provides us with a person within whom lives the cultural experience of what it was like to be a Buffalo Soldier from the day of emanicipation through the creation of the National Park System.
(listen to this podcast episdoe of The Joy Trip Project to learn more about the Buffalo Soldiers)
https://joytripproject.com/2009/09/th...

The author does take some liberties with the voices actual historic figures like Charles Young, but he puts into perspective what life might have been like for a Black soldier serving his country and the American people in this particular point in time. Through the character Elijah Yancy, we have the opportunity to explore what the experience might have been like. And through Johnson's narrative skills we can have answered poignant questions of the time.

What do you wonder about life in this era? Does Gloryland answer your questions? If you could hear a Buffalo Soldier speak, what would you want to know? Let's discuss it. Remember to join us on February 24th at 4PM Central Time to learn more.
https://www.facebook.com/events/43336...

Thank you for joining and being part of this learning community

Thanks so much for asking! Truthfully all the goings on through Black History Month has me a bit behind. We can start a discussion thread today. Specifically I want to explore the idea of using a novel to recount the composite narrative of era...allowing a single character to relate the experience of the life and times of an entire generation. I'll set it up. I look forward to your thoughts.

Take care

James

Actually Ted, I think you understand what Dr. Finney is saying perfectly. The sentence structure is a bit clunky, but I believe the overall point is well made. People of color are often not given the benifit of the doubt that their cultural and ethnic identities as United States citizens is every bit as valid as their white counterparts. As you point out indeed there is no rejoinder. Simply put " African Americans were routinely excluded from participating in the spoils that American collective identity afforded others." In many ways that is the thesis of the entire book. Thoughts?

One of the books on our list A Beautiful Work In Progress by Mirna Valerio is available for FREE as a Kindle download on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Work...